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Can you get out the car?

The AA recommends not to get out of your car at all while traffic is moving, no matter how slowly, as emergency vehicles and motorcycles filtering through traffic all pose a potential risk. And police advise that people should stay in their vehicles at all times during a traffic jam. In 2015, police slammed motorists for playing a game of football on the M5 during a major hold-up.

What if you need the bathroom?

Needing the loo is a sensitive issue in such cases and people caught in this way should use their own discretion on how to deal with it. Highways England, police and the Department for Transport couldn't give definitive advice on this one. But the AA warned you may fall foul of public decency laws if you can’t find somewhere discreet to go.

Is it against the law to use a mobile phone while stationary?

It is illegal to use your phone while driving at any point while the engine is turned on. To use your mobile you must pull over in a safe place and switch the engine off. You can only use a handheld phone only if you are safely parked or need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it is unsafe or impractical to stop.

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Can you have a snack while stuck in a jam?

According to guidance on the RAC website it is not illegal to eat and drive. However, it is worth bearing in mind that the police could prosecute you for careless driving if they consider you not in proper control of the vehicle.

Are passengers allowed to drink alcohol to pass the time?

In the UK it is not illegal for a passenger to drink while being driven in a car, so by default it is not illegal to have open alcohol containers in a car. However, it is illegal to drink alcohol in a car while supervising a learner driver.

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Is it OK to light a cigarette while waiting?

The law says that you can light up as long as there is no one under the age of 18 in the vehicle. Smoking at the wheel is not an offence but if it leads to careless driving you could end up in trouble.